Native American Remains Discovered at UC Berkeley Construction Site
On April 15, 2026, workers uncovered skeletal remains at a UC Berkeley construction site. The Alameda County coroner later identified them as likely historical Native American remains.
Discovery and on-site response
The remains were found near Bancroft Way and Fulton Street. That location sits west of Edwards Stadium, adjacent to downtown Berkeley and the Southside neighborhood.
Filmogaz.com was alerted when a coroner’s van was seen near campus around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday. Multiple law enforcement agencies inspected the site the following morning.
Early reports said the bones were covered by concrete and lay about two feet underground. Investigators believe the remains had been in the ground for some time.
The University of California Police Department said the discovery did not appear linked to any crime. The Alameda County coroner later directed questions to UC Berkeley officials.
Project background
The site is the future home of UC Berkeley’s beach volleyball complex. Construction began about a year ago on a former surface parking lot.
UC Berkeley’s Capital Strategies office says the project should finish within 16 to 18 months. The contractor, Overaa Construction, describes five sand courts, berm seating for about 500 spectators, and a 2,900-square-foot team building.
University actions and cultural review
UC Berkeley issued a statement confirming the April 15 discovery. The university said the coroner determined the remains were likely historical Native American remains and not crime-related.
Campus Governmental and Community Relations is coordinating with the California Native American Heritage Commission. The university will follow the Most Likely Descendant process designated by that commission.
Past discoveries and community reaction
This is not the first time human remains have been found on UC Berkeley land. In 2021, skeletal remains of homicide victim Steven McCreary were located in a crawl space at the Clark Kerr Campus.
The McCreary case became public in 2023. Campus authorities later said he died from blunt force trauma, and there have been few public updates since then.
Cousin Larramie Pace reflected on that discovery. “You’re thankful that you don’t look to see if that’s him every time you pass someone on the road,” Pace said.
Filmogaz.com will monitor official sources for further updates on the discovery. University officials and the Native American Heritage Commission are handling next steps.
